Even though it has been feeling a bit like winter here in Berkeley - we're talking plenty of fog, wooly socks, gray skies, high temps in the 60s - I know it's summer out there somewhere.

Every time I step into Monterey Market I see edible proof of mid-summer heat. A few weeks back I bought the most tender yellow beans. Peaches are bursting with sweet juices. Melons abound. And a few days ago I saw the piles. The piles of dry farmed Early Girl tomatoes. I smiled, did a little jig, and snatched up pounds of the beauties. For decades, I was committed to heirloom tomatoes, then I discovered dry farmed Early Girls. They don't look too snazzy when you compare them to the heirloom lookers, but man oh man the Early Girl flavor is incredible. Sweet, like candy.

Good tomatoes make this simple dish sing. A quick stint on the stovetop only heightens the sweetness of the tomatoes, then their juices mix with the garlic-infused oil, there's a slight crunch to the parboiled green beans, and the fluffy quinoa soaks up all the juicy tomato goodness and becomes almost creamy like risotto.

This dish is light, relaxed, and summery - it's delicious served with the Slow Roasted Salmon and Meyer Lemon Relish from my last post, or can stand on its own as a nice one-bowl vegetarian option. (Leave out the feta, and we can feed our Vegan friends too!)

The recipe is quite flexible.... You can eat it warm or at room temp. Leftovers are delish, and you can bring this dish to a potluck, or even pack some up for a plane flight as I did a couple of weeks ago. I can't tell you how happy I was at 35,000 feet, passing up airplane food to nibble on this quinoa. Yes, I was strapped into my uncomfortable plane seat, passing the time watching bad TV, but I had freshness in hand and it tasted darned good.

First make your quinoa: Using a fine mesh strainer, rinse quinoa with cool tap water, then place quinoa in a medium saucepan. Cover with 2 cups water and add a pinch of salt. Place saucepan on the stove top and bring the liquid to a boil. Turn down flame to low, cover and simmer quinoa for 15-17 minutes until tender. Let cooked quinoa rest for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Let the quinoa sit in the saucepan while you prep the other ingredients.

The beans: Trim stem ends off beans and parboil them in salted water for 3-4 minutes until vibrant and tender. Immediately spread cooked beans onto a clean dishcloth and allow them to cool a bit before handling. Once the beans are cool enough to handle, slice them into bite-size pieces. Set beans aside while you prep the tomatoes.

The tomatoes: If you are using Early Girls, slice them into 6-8 wedges. If you are using cherry tomatoes, go ahead and cut the cuties in half. ( By the way... do you use a serrated knife to cut your tomatoes? I find that it's so much easier.) Heat olive oil in a medium cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add garlic slivers to the hot oil and let them sizzle for 20-30 seconds, then add tomatoes. Turn the heat up to medium-high and let the tomatoes cook for 2-3 minutes. Take pan from the heat and add the sliced beans to the tomatoes. Salt to taste.

Transfer quinoa to a serving bowl, stir in tomatoes, beans and all the juice and goodies from the pan. Salt to taste. Top with chopped basil and feta.

If you are planning to take this salad on a picnic or for a work lunch, I suggest adding the feta and basil just before serving.

Jess, tomatoes have got to be coming your way soon. You mentioned a July heat wave... and that always means sweet tomatoes, right? You are so right, the nutty quinoa is great with the tomatoes. The dish feels so light but hearty at the same time. xoxoE

I'm always amazed at how much cooler the East Bay gets than the rest of the Bay Area. I've learned my mistake when driving there with nary a cardigan nor jacket. Brrr! Now, if only I had a lovely salad like this then to take my mind off the chill. ;)

Having lived in the Bay Area my entire life, it still amazes me on how we have micro-climates. I am only about 30 minutes from you however, I am typically 20 degrees hotter than Berkeley on those summer days. Often I will head to 4th street and the weather is the polar opposite. This salad looks and sounds amazing! Love that you brought it on the plane - very smart! Have a super week! LisaBTW - when is your book due to be released? Smile!

Madga, quinoa is totally worth a try. The flavor and texture make a nice alternative to rice, and quinoa can be used in all the same recipes. Plus quinoa is packed with protein and so good for you. If you do give it a go, let me know what you think. I'm curious to hear:)xoxoE

Early-girl tomatoes! Gorgeous and delicious. I am blown away by your photos. The way you make those vibrant red tomatoes dance right on the screen. You just draw the life of the food right across to the viewer's eye. Wow!

Depressing is right. What is up with the freezing cold? I keep hearing about people fleeing the Bay just to get some sun and heat. I want to do that too.I hope you and your cute family are well Kasey.xoxoE

Being used to 100 degree summers down here in So Cal, I'm absolutely loving this cooler weather, but I'm bummed for you No Cal folks! I love a simple yet delicious quinoa salad like this. In fact, I took a visit to Montana last month and my brother made us a similar one to get us through a hiking and caverns adventure. It fueled us right up. :) Quinoa transports really well surprisingly.

Hey there Christina Marie! Nice to hear from you. Glad you are enjoying the cooler weather. 100 degrees is no fun either.The sun is out today and that's all I really need. The endless gray days are just no fun.

I bet a quinoa salad would be great hiking food. You're so right that it transports really well.... I think it's my new travel staple.

That first picture totally takes my breath away - stunning work. And I really love the sound of this recipe - I often roast green beans and cherry tomatoes in a little olive oil so I know how well they work together. This salad just makes it even more perfect!

It's been so cold and rainy here this summer that my basil didn't grow. And my tomatoes are sllowwwwwwwww, they are only now starting to ripen. But I have plenty of green beans! Sounds like the perfect dish, wish I had everything on hand right now. Darned chilly summer.

I hope you were flying somewhere fun and special! And as I always say(?), there's no tv like bad tv;) xo

I planted what I now realize was too many cherry tomato plants, and so these days we're swimming in the sweet things. I'm promptly setting out to source some good green beans, and can't wait to make your gorgeous, fresh salad.

I am a quinoa devotee but this is now the only way I want to eat quinoa for the rest of the summer. I sometime swap the basil for mint and the feta for pecorino. Yum yum yum yum yum. I used the same preparation for millet the other day too. Thanks for shaking up my grain rut!